Review: The Mountains Bow Down by Sibella Giorello

That’s what FBI Special Agent Raleigh Harmon believes as she boards a cruise to Alaska. A land of mountains and gems and minerals, The Last Frontier is a dream destination for this forensic geologist who’s hoping to leave behind a hectic work schedule and an engagement drained of romance.

But when a passenger goes missing and winds up dead, Raleigh’s vacation suddenly gets lost at sea. The ship’s security chief tries to rule the death a suicide, but Raleigh’s forensics background points to a much darker conclusion: Somewhere onboard, a ruthless murderer walks free.

Engulfed by one of her toughest cases yet, Raleigh requests assistance from the FBI and receives her nemesis-perpetual ladies man Special Agent Jack Stephanson. As the cruise ship sails through the Inside Passage, Raleigh has five days to solve a high-profile murder, provide consultation for a movie filming onboard, and figure out her increasingly complicated feelings for Jack-who might not be such a jerk after all.And that’s only her work life. Family offers even more challenges. Joined on the cruise by her mother and aunt, Raleigh watches helplessly as disturbing rifts splinter her family. Like the scenery that surrounds the cruise ship, Raleigh discovers a situation so steep and so complex that even the mountains might bow down.

About Sibella: Sibella Giorello grew up in Alaska and majored in geology at Mount Holyoke College. After riding a motorcycle across the country, she worked as a features writer for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Her stories have won state and national awards, including two nominations for the Pulitzer Prize. She now lives in Washington state with her husband and sons. Find out more about Sibella and her other books at her website.www.sibellagiorello.com

My Review

Suspense books-inspirational genre or mainstream-do not get much better than Sibella Giorello’s Raleigh Harmon series. I was first introduced to Sibella’s work in December when I read The Clouds Roll Away, and what I stated in that review still stands true: Sibella Giorella is my queen of suspense writing. I read this book in one sitting, and at 369 pages in 8 hours, that is a testament to the riveting storyline.

The Mountains Bow Down is a character driven approach to suspense writing. Instead of just preoccupying readers with the ‘whodunnit’ and numerous action sequences, Sibella roots her story in the complexities of human nature and the nuances of human relationships. The first person narratives draws readers into Raleigh’s mind and heart as she struggles with the turmoil of dealing with an ill and unstable mother and the accompanying guilt of balancing her personal and professional life. The cast of characters in this book is strong and complex-from the egotistical narcissist, the broken and fragile introvert, to the preening seductress and self-medicating train wreck. When thrown together on a ship journeying through the breathtaking wonders of Alaska, the reader can’t help but be captivated from page one.

Sibella’s writing style flows so naturally for first person narrative. Sometimes it can be difficult to immerse yourself into someone’s thoughts without feeling like an intruder or have the story feel dubious, but Raleigh’s confidence and wit are compelling from the start. Her sarcastic jabs are hilarious but never put on or overused-they are just a natural overflow from her Southern lexicon.

I am eagerly anticipating the next installment of this series, set to release March 2012.

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